how is our climate changing? · factors affecting climate the sun is the key driver for our climate...

SHAPING OUR FUTURE: THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE KS3 LESSON 1 – PRESENTATION

HOW IS OUR CLIMATE CHANGING?

CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!

CLICK TO PLAYVideo opens in YouTube

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2UVmqrdC4I

What is the difference between the two?

WEATHER

WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE?

is the day to day localised conditions, which have great variability (especially here in the UK).

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What is the difference between the two?

WEATHER CLIMATEis the day to day localised conditions, which have great variability (especially here in the UK).

is the long-term weather patterns for an area.


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What is climate change?Throughout the history of the Earth, our climate has varied due to natural processes. However, in the last 150 years, our climate has begun to warm rapidly due to human activities.


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This is known as climate change.


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This is known as climate change. Currently, our climate is warming at a rate faster than ecosystems can adapt.


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FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATEThe sun is the key driver for our climate

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When sunlight hits the Earth’s atmosphere, the sun’s radiation energy is partly:

• Absorbed by the atmosphere

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•Reflectedbacktospacebyatmosphericparticles,cloudsandreflectivepartsoftheEarth’ssurfacee.g.iceandsnow

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• Absorbed at the Earth’s surface

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• Absorbed at the Earth’s surface

The resulting transfer of this heat energy is responsible for changes in the Earth’s climate.

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FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATELocal climate varies due to the following influences:

• latitude

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• latitude

• location, relative to continents and oceans

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• latitude


• situation in relation to large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns

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• latitude



• altitude

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• latitude



• altitude

• local geographical features

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• latitude



• altitude

• local geographical features

Theseinfluencescaneitheramplifyorreducethedirectimpact of climate change depending on where you live.

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THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

Mor

egr

eenh

ouse

ga

ses

SUNSolar radiation

Less heatescapes into space

Re-radiatedheat

Morere-emitted

heat

CO 2 CH4

N2O

Atm

osph

ere

Gre

enho

use

gase

sSUN

Solar radiation

More heatescapes into space

Re-radiatedheat

Lessre-emitted

heat

CO2

CH4 N2O

NATURALGREENHOUSE EFFECT

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THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

Mor

egr

eenh

ouse

ga

ses

SUNSolar radiation

Less heatescapes into space

Re-radiatedheat

Morere-emitted

heat

CO 2 CH4

N2O

Atm

osph

ere

Gre

enho

use

gase

sSUN

Solar radiation

More heatescapes into space

Re-radiatedheat

Lessre-emitted

heat

CO2

CH4 N2O

NATURALGREENHOUSE EFFECT

INCREASED GLOBAL WARMINGCAUSED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINS

Click a gas to explore further 8

GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSWater vapour (H2O)• Biggest contributor to the ‘naturalgreenhouseeffect’andvariesthemost in the atmosphere.

© AD

AM O

SWELL / W

WF-G

REATER MEKO

NG

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSWater vapour (H2O)• Biggest contributor to the ‘naturalgreenhouseeffect’andvariesthemost in the atmosphere.

• Human activities have little impacton the level of water vapour in theatmosphere. ©

ADAM

OSW

ELL / WW

F-GREATER M

EKON

G

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSMethane (CH4)• Naturally generated during

decomposition of organic matter.It is also produced by animals andreleased by natural gas deposits.

© AD

AM O

SWELL / W

WF-G

REATER MEKO

NG

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSMethane (CH4)• Naturally generated during

decomposition of organic matter.It is also produced by animals andreleased by natural gas deposits.

• Human activities like dairy andbeef cattle farming, burning offossil fuels and drilling for naturalgassignificantlyaddtothelevelofmethane in the atmosphere.

© AD

AM O

SWELL / W

WF-G

REATER MEKO

NG

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSNitrous oxide (NO2)• Makes up a tiny percentage of the

total greenhouse gas content of ouratmosphere compared to CO2.

© G

LOBAL W

ARMIN

G IM

AGES / W

WF

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSNitrous oxide (NO2)• Makes up a tiny percentage of the

total greenhouse gas content of ouratmosphere compared to CO2.

• Mainly produced by human activitiessuch as burning fossil fuels andwood, sewage treatment and thewidespread use of nitrogen-basedfertilisers.

© G

LOBAL W

ARMIN

G IM

AGES / W

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GREENHOUSES GASE AND THEIR ORIGINSCarbon dioxide (CO2)• Probably the most important of the

greenhouse gases as it accounts forthe largest proportion of the ‘tracegases’ (a trace gas is a gas whichmakes up less than 1% by volume ofthe Earth’s atmosphere).

© G

LOBAL W

ARMIN

G IM

AGES / W

WF

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSCarbon dioxide (CO2)• Probably the most important of the

greenhouse gases as it accounts forthe largest proportion of the ‘tracegases’ (a trace gas is a gas whichmakes up less than 1% by volume ofthe Earth’s atmosphere).

• Carbon dioxide is the gasresponsible for around 76% ofglobal greenhouse gas emissions.

© G

LOBAL W

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AGES / W

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSCarbon dioxide (CO2)• It can be removed from the

atmosphere through planting treesand reforestation.

© G

LOBAL W

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AGES / W

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSCarbon dioxide (CO2)• It can be removed from the

atmosphere through planting treesand reforestation.

• Produced by the natural processesof respiration (breathing) and decay,but without human activity thisoutput would be balanced by natureand reabsorbed by trees and theoceans.

© G

LOBAL W

ARMIN

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AGES / W

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSCarbon dioxide (CO2)• Most human activity results in the

release of carbon dioxide - especiallyburning fossil fuels, deforestation,heating our homes and runningour cars.

© G

LOBAL W

ARMIN

G IM

AGES / W

WF

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSThe ‘F’ gases

These gases contribute directly toclimate change. They include:

•Hydrofluorocarbons(HFCs)–foundin air conditioners and fridges.

© G

LOBAL W

ARMIN

G IM

AGES / W

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•Perfluorocarbons(PFCs)–usedbythe electronics and pharmaceuticalindustries.

© G

LOBAL W

ARMIN

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AGES / W

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•Perfluorocarbons(PFCs)–usedbythe electronics and pharmaceuticalindustries.

Human activities cause the ‘F’ gases tobe released into the atmosphere.

© G

LOBAL W

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AGES / W

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSSulphur dioxide (SO2)

• All human activities that involvethe burning of fossil fuels releasesulphur dioxide into the atmosphere.

© N

ATUREPL.CO

M / BRYAN

AND

CHERRY ALEXAN

DER / W

WF

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GREENHOUSE GASES AND THEIR ORIGINSSulphur dioxide (SO2)

• All human activities that involvethe burning of fossil fuels releasesulphur dioxide into the atmosphere.

• It is also produced naturallyby volcanoes. ©

NATU

REPL.COM

/ BRYAN AN

D CH

ERRY ALEXAND

ER / WW

F

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MEASURING CLIMATE CHANGE The main climate change indicator is temperature.

There are four main records of global temperature at the Earth’s surface:

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UKMetOffice

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UEA Climatic Research Unit

(CRU)

UKMetOffice

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(CRU)

UKMetOffice NASA

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US National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA)


(CRU)

UKMetOffice NASA

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MEASURING CLIMATE CHANGE Temperature data from across the globe is combined in order to monitor climate change and trends:

© AU

DRA M

ELTON

/ WW

F-US

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• measurements taken at over 5,000 land-based weather stations, over 1,200 free-floatingbuoys,aswellasfromships.

© AU

DRA M

ELTON

/ WW

F-US

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• measurements taken at over 5,000 land-based weather stations, over 1,200 free-floatingbuoys,aswellasfromships.

• satellites measure temperature changes in the lower atmosphere (troposphere).

© AU

DRA M

ELTON

/ WW

F-US

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WIM

VAN PASSEL / W

WF


• sea level rises

• retreat of Arctic sea ice

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WIM

VAN PASSEL / W

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• sea level rises


• shifts in rainfall patterns consistent with those expected in a warming world

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WIM

VAN PASSEL / W

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• sea level rises



• increases in atmospheric humidity in the lower atmosphere

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WIM

VAN PASSEL / W

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• sea level rises



• increases in atmospheric humidity in the lower atmosphere

• increases in the number of incidences of extreme weather, such as heavy rainstorms and heatwaves.

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MEASURING CLIMATE CHANGE

Allofthesedifferentmeasurements have helped to provide evidence that the Earth’s climate is warming.

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In groups, you will be investigating the evidence for climate change from the Ice Age to the present day. Use the resources provided to explore extreme weather, changingsealevels,andhowdifferentpartsoftheworldare impacted by these changes.

BE A CLIMATE CHANGE EXPLORER

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CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS US ALL


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how is our climate changing? · factors affecting climate the sun is the key driver for our climate...

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